Head Games

  Before Carlos Sanchez belted a three-run homer off of Royals’ reliever Kelvin Herrera Friday night, Herrera buzzed a fastball head-high past Todd Frazier, and the White Sox third baseman was not amused.  In fact, Frazier took a couple of steps towards the mound before KC catcher Salvador Perez, a very big man, blocked his path.  After calming down a bit, Frazier hit a double that ignited the eighth-inning rally.

Frazier said after the game the at-bat was just like the old adage of let sleeping dogs lie; Herrera didn’t, and Frazier made him pay.  The intriguing question is why can’t Frazier be like that at the plate all the time?  Somehow, he’s squeezed 91 rbi’s out of a .215 batting average.  Imagine where he and his team would be with him hitting .260, or .250, even.

If some players need to be psyched up, other players can be psyched out.  The Phillies Dickie Noles knocked George Brett down in Game Four of the 1980 World Series, after which Brett managed just three singles and one rbi over the next 2-1/2 games.  And, yes, the Phillies won the Series.

So, is it a good idea to throw at someone?  That’s the beauty of baseball.  You just don’t know, but you’re always tempted to find out.